Ex-Berryz Koubou member Tsugunaga Momoko has announced her graduation from Hello! Project and Country Girls.
She will also be leaving the entertainment industry.
According to an announcement concerning her graduation, she announced that she will be leaving Country Girls and Hello! Project on the 15th year of her idol life: June 30, 2017. She wishes to get her teacher’s license for teaching elementary school and kindergarten.
She always had in mind to follow the path of education, especially early childhood.
The full announcement can be found at the link at the end of this post, but it’s certainly some interesting times for Hello! Project. She has long been known as one of the most well known members, having been with H!P since 2002 so the fact that is leaving is nothing short of a symbol of a big change.
Mainly Hello! Project has been shifting as older, iconic members have left the company to continue their lives. In fact, Momoko might be the last of the “Golden Generation”, with C-ute about to disband (something that most likely had some influence in her decision).
Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not, since it gives the newer members a chance to establish a new H!P, and by far they all have an amazing amount of talent so it’s safe to say that Momusu, ANGERME, Country Girls, and other groups are well established (and not having to rely on older members or be overshadowed by them).
Of course, the most surprising notice is that she has developed a Sayumi-like personality, adoring her idol status and proclaiming to want to be an idol forever on several interviews. So the fact that she just decided to leave the entertainment industry is nothing short of a complete turn.
Regardless, it seems like she has some clear paths in life and we wish her the best of luck as she makes her way towards educating a future generation.
Kimi.Kame 
A positively beautiful piece, especially since the news broke HOURS ago. 👏 I couldn’t have said it better myself actually.
Momoko is up there in the legends department and made quite a name for herself. She’s already proven herself to be quite the mentor.
I wish her the best.
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Absolutely, she is nothing short of one of the defining members of Hello Pro. Hopefully this means kids she teaches grow up with the same confidence to achieve their goals as she has!
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Some may even grow up to be the next generation of idols!
😢 Even outside of H!P, Momoko going to work some magic! 😭 Gah, this is why idols are so amazing! They inspire us, even as they leave us.
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She is made of magic and will leave an indelible mark on the children’s lives she touches just has she has on the lives of us, her ardent fans.
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